PEOPLE arrested in connection with allegations of corruption in connection with Cleveland Police have had their bail dates extended again.

The nine, including former chief constable Sean Price and former chairman of Cleveland Police Authority Dave McLuckie, had been due to answer bail this month but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has asked for the extension until February 13.

The decision has been delayed to enable the CPS to examine complex case files regarding potential criminal charges.

The seven men and two women arrested during Operation Sacristy all have connections with the force's police authority.

Operation Sacristy is an investigation, led by Keith Bristow, director general of the National Crime Agency, into allegations of misconduct by individuals associated with the former Cleveland Police Authority.

A spokesman for Warwickshire Police, which is overseeing the investigation, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has advised us that they require further time to consider the material provided to them by Operation Sacristy.

“The nine people currently on bail have been informed that their bail is extended until February 13 in order for CPS to complete their decision making process.

“An advice file was submitted to CPS in May 2013, and there have been further submissions since with the last submission of material being made to CPS in December 2013.

“It is the independent and statutory role of the CPS to determine whether any criminal charges should be put before the courts and we await their charging decision.

“The Operation Sacristy investigations into both misconduct and criminal allegations are now considered complete.”

The investigation has been going on since the spring of 2011 and in the August of that year, dawn raids were carried out at the homes of leading members of the police force, including the-then chief constable Sean Price.

Mr Price was dismissed from the force in October 2012 for gross misconduct following a disciplinary hearing into issues not connected to Sacristy.

His then deputy, Derek Bonnard, was also arrested in connection with the corruption allegations, but he has since been released from police bail without charge. However, he was sacked for gross misconduct in March last year.